A Touch of Death
by Foxdawn
Summary: Sorrelkit pricked her ears as she spotted the dark tabby pelt of Darkstripe disappearing through the dirtplace tunnel. "Willowpelt! I need to use the dirtplace!" Sorrelkit called, racing toward the tunnel without glancing at her mother. She could see that Darkstripe was up to something, and she wanted to know what. Challenge for AdderClan.


_**Allegiances:**_

 **ThunderClan**

 **Medicine Cat:** Cinderpelt- smoky dark-grey she-cat

 **Warriors:**

Darkstripe- dark grey tabby tom

 **Kits:**

Sorrelkit- light tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

 **ShadowClan**

 **Deputy:** Blackfoot- white tom with jet-black paws

* * *

 _Low hanging fog brushed against_ the oak and maple trees, weak rays of sunlight trying but failing to cut through the dewy mist.

Sorrelkit opened her mouth to taste the air, just as Tawnypaw had taught her to. She could smell the wet mist that shrouded her pelt, the dew that rolled off the shivering leaves above, she could scent earth and prey, and most of all, she could taste the scent of the ThunderClan tom that crept nervously forward ahead of her.

 _Darkstripe will be so proud when he finds out that I tracked him all by myself. I bet he doesn't even know I'm here!_

Sorrelkit crouched down into the wet grass and ferns as Darkstripe paused for a moment, twitching his ears back and forth nervously. Her breath caught in her throat as she waited for him to continue forward, closer to Snakerocks and ShadowClan.

The ShadowClan scent was very strong here, stronger than it should be for how deep into ThunderClan territory they were.

 _Must be the wind blowing the scent across the border._ Sorrelkit thought. _At least that's the reason patrols always come up with when they find a scent further across the border than it should be._

The scent of snake was there too. Although Sorrelkit had never been met with a live snake before, she could faintly remember the scent from the dead adder that Ravenpaw brought back from one of his assessments.

Sorrelkit flicked her ears as the sound of Darkstripe's pawsteps slowly faded. She rolled onto her paws and place them silently forward, almost running to catch up with the dark-furred tabby warrior.

As she neared, she scented the air for any trace of Brackenfur, the golden-brown tabby tom who had been frequently hanging around with Darkstripe lately. She lowered her muzzle, scenting only the mist that cloaked the air and, of course, her prey.

Sorrelkit froze. The scent of ShadowClan and adders was very strong now. She squinted ahead to try and catch a glimpse of Darkstripe's thick grey tabby pelt, but all she could see were the quivering fronds of ferns and bracken.

But that ShadowClan scent...she knew something was not right. Icy claws of fear clenched her belly as two voices soared above the trembling grasses. Almost immediately, she recognized Darkstripe's hard, hateful mew. But the other voice...it was a voice she had never heard before. And she didn't like it.

Sorrelkit crept determinedly forward, feeling each heartbeak thrum loudly in her chest. _I need to find out who it is so I can tell Whitestorm or Firestar!_

Through the tangle of weeds and leaves, Sorrelkit could make out the striped figure of Darkstripe's thin and nervous form. Before him, a huge white tom proudly stood, his face curled up in a snarl. The white tom lifted up a large black paw, his claws unsheathed.

 _Darkstripe's in trouble!_

Sorrelkit braced herself for when the two toms would leap at one another, but that moment never came. Instead, they crouched down low, hidden almost completely by the grasses and reeds.

Sorrelkit could hear their voices softly speaking to one another, but she was to nervous and scared to remember what they said.

 _Maybe I should go back to camp. Willowpelt, Rainkit, and Sootkit probably realize I'm gone by now. They must be worried._

Sorrelkit rose to her paws in preparation to whirl around and run back to camp, when she heard Darkstripe rise to his paws and begin padding back toward where she hid. Panic engulfed her in a chaotic wave as she sprinted away, crashing through ferns and ivy tendrils.

"Sorrelkit?" She skidded to a halt as Darkstripe appeared in front of her, blocking her path of escape.

"Hi, Darkstripe." She meowed softly, trembling nervously. "What are you doing? Hunting?"

Darkstripe fixed her in his cold yellow gaze, though Sorrelkit could detect a faint trace of worry hiding behind his eyes.

"What are _you_ doing out here?" He growled, leaning in close to her. "Are you out with someone?"

"I'm out with you..." Sorrelkit meowed, slowly gaining her confidence. "I saw you leaving through the dirtplace tunnel, so I followed your scent all the way to Snakerocks! That was where you were right? I'm not sure if that's what it's called..."

Darkstripe's eyes grew wide. "You followed me all the way from camp?" He demanded softly, his fur standing on end.

Sorrelkit nodded, her confidence slowly draining. "Mm-hmm." _Uh-oh._

Sorrelkit watched Darkstripe's facial expression slip from nervous, to curled and shriveled in anger and fury, which slowly softened. This change happened in less than a heartbeat, distorting the tabby ThunderClan tom's face.

He smiled slowly, a look of gentle kindness now masked his face, but his cold, sharp eyes were still hard and icy...just as a stone in leaf-bare.

"Did you now?" Darkstripe took a slow step toward the terrified tortoiseshell she-kit. Sorrelkit remained silent, deciding his question wasn't really seeking another answer. She stretched out her hindpaw, taking a slow step backward.

"Don't run!" Darkstripe mewed quickly. "I'm very, very proud of you. When I was a kit, I couldn't track like that. Well done, Sorrelkit!"

"R-really?" She blinked slowly, just starting to believe him. _Maybe he really_ is _proud of me!_

Darkstripe nodded, blinking sincerely. "Oh, yes! When you're a warrior, I'm sure you'll be one of the best trackers in the Clan! Even better than Cloudtail." Darkstripe paused a moment, curling his tail around his paws. "In fact, I think you deserve a little treat! Any kit who's _that_ great at tracking deserves a treat! You want a reward, right?"

Sorrelkit nodded fervently, all suspicion or foreboding melting away. "Yes please!"

"Good." Darkstripe turned away from the little she-kit and led her through the bracken and brambles to a large, shiny dark green bush with spiky, thorny leaves. Bright red berries hung in clumps along the branches, shining like poppy petals at dawn.

Darkstripe unsheathed his claws and sliced a single berry off of the bundle. The berry fell to the earth and rolled a short distance before slowing to a halt on the soil.

Sorrelkit glanced up at Darkstripe, unsure. He gave her a kind nod, so she scampered across the leaf litter and licked up the berry, the sharp taste stinging her mouth. She winced and spat, trying to get the taste out, before the world twirled and fell black.

* * *

Sorrelkit spat and cough as the sour, sharp scent of herbs wafted around her. She blinked open her eyes and found herself looking up at the soft grey face of Cinderpelt, the ThunderClan medicine cat.

"What happened?" Sorrelkit asked, blinking in confusion at the creaky sound of her own voice.

"You ate deathberries." Cinderpelt replied regretfully. "You could have died."

Sorrelkit shook her head violently. "No! Darkstripe said he was giving me a treat!"

Cinderpelt shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid her tried to kill you."

Sorrelkit blinked in disbelief. "But...but why?"

"That's what _you_ need to tell _me_." Cinderpelt sat down and curled her tail around her paws. "What happened?"


End file.
